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Monday, October 10, 2016

Emma Read-Along: Week 1 Discussion

Hello!

I am participating in Amber at Seasons of Humility's Emma Read-Along. It is going from October 2-30. For Amber's discussion on the first week, go HERE.  This is my first time reading Emma, I started reading it once, but only got to chapter 12. Now I am already farther through! But I have seen the 1996 version.
Here is my discussion for the first week, chapters 1-14. Note that this is my first time so I might not understand things very well.

Favorite Quote:
"You should have gone to Cromer, my dear, if you went anywhere. Perry was a week at Cromer once, and he holds it to be the best of all the sea-bathing places. A fine open sea, he says, and very pure air. And, by what I understand, you might have had lodgings there quite away from the sea--a quarter mile off--very comfortable. You should have consulted Perry." -Mr. Woodhouse (ch. 12). Here I like how Mr. Woodhouse and Isabella are gently arguing, and how they both think their physician is better.

General Impression:
Emma has a pretty strong character -not saying it's a good one, or a bad one- you can see that she has a lot of pride, but she also is very sweet.

She hoped they might now become friends again. She thought it was time to make up. Making-up, indeed, would not do. She certainly had not been in the wrong, and he would never own that he had. (ch. 12)

"My dearest Emma, do not pretend, with your sweet temper, to understand a bad one, or to lay down rules for it: you must let it go its own way." - Mrs. Weston (ch. 14)

Oh, and did I metion how clever she is? How could she solve that charade? No way could I figure it out! Or, maybe I'm just like Harriet...
 Even through all the fighting with Mr. Knightley, she is pretty witty.

That is all my impression for now. :)

My Questions:
1. Why don't more people eat gruel with Mr. Woodhouse?
2. Why do Mr. Knightley and Emma fight so much?
3. Why do some versions have books and chapters, and some just chapters?
4. What will Emma do next?

I know, they are not very good questions, but it is what I could think of.

My Answers to Amber's Questions:

1. What are your first impressions of Mr. Knightley and his relationship with Emma? Do his words about her and his attitude toward her suggest genuine care or a sense of superiority?
I think it is sort of both. But maybe more genuine care. When I first tried to read Emma, I couldn't stand them fighting all the time. But now that I read it again it seams that Mr. Knightley is trying to be protective of her in a few ways.2. Mr. Knightley tells Emma, "You have been no friend to Harriet Smith" (ch. 8). To what degree do you agree or disagree with this statement based on Emma's thoughts and actions?
Well, she does think that she is doing the best for Harriet, but sometimes she doesn't really listen to her, she is just thinking about her plans. But then, when she is sick, she vists her, so sometimes so, sonetimes not.3. Who is your favorite secondary character so far? (Someone besides Emma or Mr. Knightley.) What do you admire or find interesting about that character?
Harriet Smith. I like how much she looks up to Emma. She is very sweet and kind, and she has such "soft eyes."

4. Which Woodhouse do you most closely match: Emma, her sister (Isabella), or her father?
I think I would be a third sister of theirs, If they had one. I am a mix of both.

Thank you so much for hosting this read-along Amber! 
Go check it out HERE.

MovieCritic

8 comments:

  1. I tagged you:

    http://thefloweringvales.blogspot.com/2016/10/q-tag.html

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  2. Oh, your post is so fun! :D

    Yes to that discussion between Mr. Woodhouse and Isabella, defending their physicians! That was priceless. ;) And kind of cute, although perhaps a tad much to the rest of the family, I'm sure!

    I enjoyed reading your impressions of Emma. :) She's definitely clever, and that's a good point about her sweet side. And SO TRUE about the charade! She makes the answer seem so obvious, but it only seems obvious to me when I know the answer from the start. ;) For example, there was that other charade they mentioned (I think in that same chapter?), but I don't recall seeing any answer discussed, and it made me wonder if anyone has ever figured it out. *puts on thinking cap*

    Your questions are so fun! Seriously, why don't more people eat gruel with Mr. Woodhouse?? Poor man. ;)

    And thank you for sharing your responses to my questions! You make some great points about Emma being both a friend and not-so-much a friend to Harriet. She does seem to have a genuine compassion for others that peeks out every now and then!

    This is my first time reading Emma, as well. :) Glad to have you along for the read-along!

    ~Amber

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    1. Thank you so much for hosting this!! It has been so fun and I am really liking reading Emma!

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    2. It's my pleasure! :) And I had to stop by again to share a link I found - there's an answer for that unanswered charade!! → The Charades and Riddle in Emma, and Their Answers

      Huzzah! :D

      ~Amber

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    3. Oh cool! Thank you so much for sharing!!

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  3. Oh my goodness! The charade was way beyond me. Maybe because we don't "play" that way anymore? I think the brain was used more in those days! ha! And I imagine gruel is like clear soapy liquid looking stuff or oatmeal sludge or something like that so I think it would be unappetizing. ha! I can't even imagine why people wouldn't want to partake of that ;) I enjoyed your post!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you! Yeah, probably that is what it is, but the poor guy! I can only imagine how he looks when he asks people to have some!

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